The Dallas Cowboys are heading into the spring with running back still a target need for Jerry Jones and while an Adrian Peterson trade could be an option, teams like the Cardinals, Miami Dolphins and St. Louis Rams are more likely to pull off a deal with the Vikings and this comes as the Cowboys are expected to target players in the draft, including Todd Gurley, Melvin Gordon and Tevin Coleman.
The Cowboys were once looked at as the favorites to land Peterson, but the way things have developed this offseason makes it likely that a deal will not happen. According to Pro Football Talk, 105.3 The Fan reports that the Cowboys would deal with the Vikings for Peterson "at the right price", but right now the two sides are at odds and that could result in a trade at some point this offseason. Peterson does not appear willing to take a pay cut and that could be an issue for teams if they don't want to take on over $40 million in salary.
That is likely the biggest hurdle for the Cowboys if they want Peterson, as they have a tight cap situation as it is and the draft hasn't even happened yet. Peterson is from Texas and has spoken about his interest in the Cowboys and Jerry Jones, but right now the Arizona Cardinals and the Minnesota Vikings appear to be the most likely destinations from him in 2015. The Cowboys lost DeMarco Murray in free agency to the Eagles and they have already added Darren McFadden on a two year deal.
While signing McFadden doesn't mean that the team won't go after Peterson, it signals that they are willing to spend less on the position after Murray left. According to Todd Archer at ESPN.com, the team is more likely to use the draft to add depth at running back over making a trade with the Vikings for Peterson. Archer writes that with a deep class of players like Gurley, Gordon, Tevin Coleman, Ameer Abdullah, Duke Johnson and TJ Yeldon, it's very likely the team goes for a running back this year with one or two of their selections.
Some potential landing spots for Peterson include the Arizona Cardinals, St. Louis Rams, Miami Dolphins and Oakland Raiders. The Vikings have said they do not plan on releasing Peterson and that could set up a battle between the two sides if the running back wants out. The Cardinals have been interested in Peterson, but they do not want to take on the $40 million plus that he has remaining on his contract.
The Cowboys may look at Gurley as an option in the draft along with Gordon, who was one of the most productive backs in college football last season. Gordon had nearly 5000 rushing yards in his career at Wisconsin and last season he found the endzone 29 times. Gurley was injured and dealt with a suspension, but he is considered to be one of the best backs coming out, while Tevin Coleman is also an intriguing option after he rushed for 2,036 yards and 15 touchdowns last season for Indiana.
